


Iggy in the Box

by LostFairyMantic



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Glad loves his little Iggy hologram, If only we could have this in real life, Kinda like a Vocaloid AU except without the singing, M/M, gatebox, hologram love, indulgence, vaguely crackish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 15:03:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13297380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostFairyMantic/pseuds/LostFairyMantic
Summary: Noct and Prompt buy Gladio a Gatebox for his birthday, hoping to alleviate him from a bad break up.Before he knows it, Gladio winds up with a holographic 5-inch sized Ignis in his bedroom and he's never felt more embarrassed in his life.





	Iggy in the Box

**Author's Note:**

> I reccomand you guys look up what the Gatebox is before you read this, because its a damn interesting piece of technology and something that sounds like a super sweet idea to implement! Hope you have fun reading this and do comment if you have any major concerns! Ciao~

“Happy Birthday Darling! It’s so nice to finally meet you, Azuma Hikari at your service!” 

Noctis and Prompto burst into laughter at Gladio’s flabbergasted expression, supporting each other until both fell over in a giggling heap at Gladio’s feet. Ignis had already swiped and dumped the torn wrapping paper into the non-recyclable trash and was now scrutinizing the situation from far-away, so Gladio could only stare as a wide-eyed cartoon looking schoolgirl waved at him, all 5 inches of her illuminating the dark room in a light blue glow. 

“What is this bizzare piece of technology?” Ignis asked, sounding just as bewildered as Gladio felt. The girl, seemingly tired of standing, waved her arm and settled in the chair that suddenly appeared, still staring up at Gladio with an adoring smile. 

“Beats me, this looks like something from one of Prompto’s apps” Gladio said. He felt Ignis walk closer, and shuffled over so Ignis could sit down, their thighs touching lightly. Gladio watched the light bathe Ignis’ features in blue, felt that familiar flutter in his heart as he locked eyes with Ignis and saw the fire blazing in his iris. Gladio cleared his throat and waited for the pair of children to calm down.

“It’s a Gatebox.” Noctis finally answered, wiping tears from his eyes. He nudged Prompto with his toe and the blonde perked up, eyes shining enthusiastically in the face of Gladio’s growing confusion, “It’s a GateBox! It’s like your own personal girlfriend that coddles and takes care of you when you’re lonely. It makes schedules for you and tells you about the weather and stuff, like a personal Ignis! We thought it’d be perfect for you since you can’t hold a decent relationship for a week!” 

Gladio launched a pillow at Prompto without a seconds thought, appeased by the blonde’s shriek as he was hit face on. 

“It was 260,000 gill by the way,” Noct added nonchalantly, using Prompto as a shield and ignoring his cries of ‘traitor’ ,” so you’d better be gentle with it, you behemoth.”

Gladio looked back at Ignis, who was surveying the whole situation with a tired but fond smile and those sharp beautiful eyes he’d come to love. The beginning of a chuckle was forming on his lips.

“You’re not gonna scold him?” he asked, incredulous. Ignis, who’d bought his cleaning supplies and coffee in bulk so he could get everything he needed at the best value, who’d tutted at Gladio’s constant take-out dinners, and showed up multiple times per month to cook him a “cheaper and much more balanced” dinner until the taste of Kenny Crow’s Pizza has lost its appeal and Ignis’ dishes were the only thing that filled his mind? That Ignis?

Ignis laughed. “Although I might have a talking with his highness later, I believe they did this with the best intentions in mind. It is your birthday Gladio. If the machine in any way aids you, I think it is highly worth it.”

 

Then, tilting his head and resting it on his palm and teasingly so that his eyes flashed with mirth, “you have been rather sulky the past few days, Gladio”.

Gladio flushed a bit in embarrassment. He supposed his late break up had left him in a bit of a slump, so that even the oblivious highness himself noticed. It was unprofessional, for sure, but the relationship had gone so well, and the girl had looked so much like Ignis, with her short gelled hair and flashing green eyes. 

Gladio took one look at the dancing hologram in the transparent glass tube, back at the grinning duo, one who was cooing and giggling with the hologram ,and at Ignis, fingers soothed with a warm cup of Ebony in his grasp. It was a bit pathetic honestly; he didn’t think he needed the hologram but he was damn appreciative of his comrades and how much money they were willing to shell on him. 

“Thanks No-”

Before he could complete his sentence, Iris slammed into his side, knocking the wind out of him and throwing him off balance. 

“Now Gladdy won’t be lonely!” Iris cheered, wrapping herself around Gladio’s middle. 

At her cheer, the virtual girl laughed as well, exploding vibrant, party-eisque emojis all over its screen as it celebrated its owner's birth. 

~0~

If there was one thing his mother taught him, it was to be grateful of what he had-even if his gift was nothing short of a joke and an embarrassment to his very being.

Gladio sighed as he settled the large glass tube on his desk, securing it among the papers and files he’d crowded around his desk, papers he should probably get into before they became an untamable Hydra. Ignis and the rest had retreated a while back, as the former didn’t want to intrude despite Gladio being more than happy to accommodate him. Iris was brushing her teeth in her bathroom and Gladio decided now was a time as good as any to start his new companion, get used to its presence. 

The screen flickered once, twice, and the young hologram blinked to life, eyes opening to reveal her soft sky-blue irises, with the same cherubic smile that had greeted Gladio a few hours prior. 

“Darling!” she said, waving at him with an eyes closed smile. 

“Can’t you change your appearance to something else?” Gladio grumbled, uncomfortable with the image of a school girl his room. He’d spent too long around fawning high school girls when picking up Noct that he had no desire to see one in his own home, especially one that was programmed to be enamored with him. 

“It’s my job to make you happy,” the virtual girl smiled sweetly, looking exactly like Prompto when he was hyped up on sugar, “ I’ll change right now!”

Gladio lumbered forward, suspicious of whatever gimmick the girl was trying to accomplish. The glass suddenly filled with fog-like material and lit up, prompting Gladio to shield his eyes as he prepared for whatever abomination was going to appear next. He opened his eyes. 

A perfect 5 inch replica of Ignis stared back at him, green eyes twinkling beneath his bangs. 

Gladio blinked in shock, gaping at the near-perfect replica of his crush. “The hell is this?” Gladio gasped, brows narrowing in confusion, heart thumping something fierce. 

His sudden shout seemed to scare the hologram and it curled up, looking uneasy for the first time since its unboxing.

“Ah, my apologies. I believed this body would make you more comfortable of my presence” Like a kicked puppy the hologram cocked his head, wringing his hands together in a nervous fashion. 

It's making me more conscious of you! Gladio wanted to yell, but Ignis’ portrait, even virtual, made it feel like he was confessing his secret, and so he kept his mouth shut, observing the hologram instead. 

The thing had copied Ignis’ speaking patterns, accent, and clothing, down to the faint flush he saw Ignis carry once in a blue moon when he unmistakingly tripped up or miscalculated one small factor that sent him in a cute flustered mess. For a second, Gladio was amazed by the advancement of technology, something Prompto loved dabbling his hands in but he himself never partook interest in. To have copied someone so easily, from a few minutes exposure at a party; it was truly amazing. 

“Shall I change it to something more accommodating?” the hologram asked. Ignis’ features started flickering away as the system began to rebuild itself, voice warping into a higher, more feminine trill, hair lengthening and coloring into a deep ebony color. 

A childish panic took ahold of Gladio.“No, no keep it,” Gladio said, thrusting out a hand to stop the transformation. His ears burned from where he sat on the bed, embarrassment making him weak in the knees. “This is okay. M’okay with it. My bad for shouting”

 

He was more okay with this than he should be. He did feel slightly guilty, like he was using Ignis for something illegal and perverted. But it was better than a schoolgirl, Gladio assured himself; if anything, Ignis’ presence in his room would improve his concentration, make him work harder, faster. The glass began to flash, and Gladio turned, worried the thing was going to explode but Ignis was still there, smiling and waving at him with an enthusiasm he never expected out of Ignis. 

“Why him though?” he asked ,sighing, “why him of all people?”

The little Ignis blinked, tilting his head as he swept his thumb across his lips, a habit Ignis frequented whenever he pondered. The familiarity of it made Gladio anxious. “I suppose,” he started, “ he just seemed like someone you liked”. 

“Huh?” Gladio questioned. Before he coud ask anything else, the hologram laughed, destroying what was left of Gladio’s train of thought. 

“I’m so happy,” the hologram smiled, eyes so bright and so unlike Ignis yet so exactly like him; he was smiling so widely Gladio could see the gums of his teeth. Then, it added in one word that made Gladio flush all shades of red, made all his years of composure shake with one meaningless, “darling”.

“Call me Gladio” Gladio managed to say, ignoring the way the oh so familiar accent was making his heart beat, turning him into the hormonal, confused pre-teen he was at 13 before he learned to control himself and adopt his calm and cool facade near Ignis.

Ignis saluted, a cute, out of character motion that sent Gladio’s heart spiraling again. Then, as if remembering the person it was supposed to adopt, the hologram straightened up and coughed into his fist.

He suddenly stepped to the side and a clock popped up, his head peeking out from around the perimeter. 

“It is almost midnight Gladio, you should retire before it gets too late,” he said, peering up at Gladio from behind his glasses. 

“Yeah, yeah I got it,” Gladio muttered. It was infinitly easier to deal with Ignis’ nagging. This was the Ignis he was used to; this was the Ignis he’d come to love. 

With a huff, he turned around and began changing into his pajamas, until Ignis-no the hologram started humming and Gladio waddled into his bathroom with his pants around his ankles, ignoring the saccharine “I am not watching Gladio!” drifting from his desk. Maybe the hologram wasn’t Ignis but the sentiment was still the same. 

Pretty soon, Gladio was settled underneath the warm duvets on his bed, having ignored the hologram’s request for a good night kiss and a lullaby. 

“Good night, Gladio” Ignis’ voice, soft and sweetened by sleep drifted into his ear and the light faded from his room as the machine turned off. 

Gladio laid in the dark, unmoving and trying to collect his thoughts as the events of the day flashed through his mind. The last remnants of his blush had yet to disappear, and his heart and not yet quit its irrational thumping. As the rush began to wear off, it suddenly occurred to him that he'd never shown Ignis his room before.

He thought of Ignis’s words, of his calming smile and laugh when he'd poked fun at Gladio and wished him the best with his romantic squrimish. He probably wasn’t expecting something like this, Gladio thought as he drifted to sleep.


End file.
